Copywriting
Report writing
Cases for support
Thought leadership
Brand and fundraising
I offer a range of copywriting services from long-form strategic writing, such as cases for support, impact and policy reports, to thought leadership articles, brand and fundraising communications.
Copywriting projects are usually smaller in scope than strategy projects. However, some may also involve stakeholder interviews and workshops.
My ‘Magic 8’ storytelling planning questions, which help structure the brief for any writing project, will ensure our copy meets our objectives and inspires our audiences to act.
What's the story?
First, do a brain dump of everything relevant to our story, such as quotes, stats, images, case stories, key messages and calls to action. Then, try to capture the story in a sentence – this will be our anchor for our writing journey.
Whose story is this?
Who are the characters in our story? What do we know about them? How are we creating conditions for them to share their stories on their terms? Is everyone being represented fairly and equitably?
Who are we telling it to?
The general public is rarely the answer. Different people respond to different stories in different ways, so our story must be led by audience insight. If we have more than one audience, what do they have in common?
Why should they care?
It might sound harsh. But no matter how important our cause feels to us, it will be one of many potential issues, ideas and commitments in our audience’s lives. If we want our message to land, we must understand how it will speak to their beliefs, values and motivations.
Why should they believe us?
As a general rule, organisations are inclined to talk too much about themselves. But it’s still important to establish credibility, especially with new audiences, so they can feel confident about their decision to support us.
What do we want them to feel, do and think?
All good storytelling should prompt an emotional response. For charities and purpose-led organisations, we will likely want that feeling to lead to an action. And the very best stories will change people’s minds.
Who else is telling a similar story?
With upwards of 170,000 charities in the UK, the chances are we’re not the only organisation telling this story. What makes our story different? Why are people going to engage with us instead of – or as well as – somebody else?
Why are we telling it now?
Why is this story timely? Are we responding to a particular event or trend? Is there an urgent need driving it? If the message is broadly familiar to our audience, how are we freshening it up to keep it relevant and inspiring?